The not kidding
by Linneagb
Summary: Ryan catches a bug, and knows exactly what will come next. Oneshot. Sick!fic


**I guess this is set sometimes during the first season.**

 **I don't get neither migraines nor asthma attacks. But I do my research and I hope I can write this alright anyway.**

 **This is my first try to a The O. C- fic. Enjoy**

"I'm fine." I (well, almost) lied to the Cohen's on Friday night what still seemed like it would be a perfectly normal weekend. "I know it isn't late but it's been a long week in school." I suppressed a sigh over all of the extra-classes I had ended up with. "And I'm…" I had to make another pause to yawn while I pulled my hoodie tighter around me to get warmer. "So I think I'm just going to you know, get under the covers and take an early night. So…" I was about to turn around and go to the pool house. "Goodnight then I guess."

"You look a bit pale there Ryan." Sandy said and interrupted me in my steps. "Are you sure you're okay? You're not getting ill are you?"

"There is this bug going around in school." Seth stated. "Maybe you caught it. Do you have a sore throat? Headache? Do you feel co… oh." He had the clear answer when I pulled my hoodie tighter around me. "Okay. You are then."

"No. I'm not getting ill." I protested and stepped away when Sandy tried to get up and feel my forehead. "I'm fine. It's been a lot to do in school this week. I've always been very healthy so don't worry. I'll be as alert and happy as a lark in the morning."

"Well. If you get sick tonight then you know you can only come and knock on our door if you need anything." Sandy was such a mum sometimes. "I mean it Ryan."

"I'm not ill. Just tired. Even if I got ill I know what will happen and I won't need anything tonight. Because ever since I was a baby I have the same. I am ill and have a temperature in the morning. Can't breathe because I have such a cough. And then I have a very bad cold. During the afternoon or evening I have a migraine and puke up everything I've ever eaten. Then I fall asleep and sleep for like twenty four hours. Then from waking up I still have a temperature but that's kind of it until I fall asleep again for the night and sleep all through the night and then I'm fine again."

"I kind of hope you're ill now." Seth said with a bit of a thoughtful frown on his face. "I want to see if you're right."

"Well you sir." I suppressed a sigh- I just wanted to go to bed, but whatever Kirsten wanted to say. "I don't need you to be ill. I know what you're going to do. And you'll come down with the very typical man-flu. Act like you're dying…"

"No I won't."

"…Then you're going to want ice cream from Ice e u. And you're going to moan about how you think their name is stupid."

"It is stupid. I suggested 'brain freeze' which would have been a lot better."

"Do you really think anyone would want ice cream from a place called brain freeze?"

"Well why do people want ice cream when like ninety percent doesn't even get it's I see you. And that creepy girl on their roof just staring…" Seth shivered. "And that is why I always ask mum to go and get it."

"Ask? You never ask. You make it very sure I know that you'd never forgive me if I didn't go. And then… 'muuuuuum. Please.'" Kirsten put on a whiny tone. "My throat hurts so much and they make the best ice cream in town."

"And on the other side of town as if that wasn't enough."

"I do not sound like that."

"And then." Kirsten continued what she had said before Sandy interrupted. "Soup yet from the other side of town. And it's got to be chicken, noodle soup. And remember when I tried making it myself?"

I shook my head slightly. Any other day I had probably found this kind of funny. If this wasn't how a family should be then I didn't know what would. But now I was just too tired to enjoy it and not for anyone to start talking and stop me I raised my hand in a wave and started backing towards the kitchen door.

"Well. Whoever is right- I'm not ill. I'm just tired, I'm going to bed now."

"It's not even eight P. M."

"Goodnight." Without waiting for a reply I walked outside and straight over to the pool house. Well in there I lowered all the blinds and more or less fell onto the bed, where I laid for what must have been at least two minutes straight only panting tiredly.

If I anyway had gone through the things that happened when I was ill it might have been I should have mentioned the first part. That I always ignored the symptoms, that I kept on telling myself I wasn't ill. The fact that I tried to just say it had been a lot in school or I hadn't slept much etcetera etcetera etcetera.

And while I was out of breath from undressing and getting into some sleepwear only (and half freezing to death before I pulled a clean hoodie on and got under the covers). It should have been impossible to me to come with any other excuses. And I should have gotten everything I'd need and put it right by the bed.

Well. That would have been if I was to accept the fact that I was getting ill.

Which I didn't.

Well, whether I had accepted it or not. I kind of had to when I woke up the next morning from my own coughing that was wrenching through my whole body having me tremble. I forced myself to sit up in bed, which only made it worse and while I coughed what felt like a million liters of phlegm I had to get onto my feet and get somewhere where I could spit it out and it just might keep me from throwing up.

Well… I said might!

The good thing about living in this pool house was that everything was in only a couple of meters distance. Which was better than ever when I forced myself out of bed still coughing, and stumbled towards the kitchen sink which I more or less hung over when the phlegm in my throat had me retching.

"Ryan. Oh…" Suddenly Seth was right behind me. "…Ehm…" I had looked back on him for a second, but had to turn back to the sink, the coughing had stopped for now but tiredly and breathing heavily I leaned against the top lockers and closed my eyes. "…I'll… I'll go get my parents."

"No, Seth."

Too late, Seth was already out the door and on his way. And the talking only sent me right back into coughing. Even heavier this time and I seriously thought I'd throw up while I held so tightly onto the edge of the sink my knuckles whitened.

"Can you…?" Without a word, suddenly Sandy was by my side while I leaned heavily back against the top locker. "…Check the bathroom cupboard. There should be an in… hal… er." I didn't dare to move from the sink, but Sandy half ran away and I heard him checking the shelves- knocking one (or five) things over and then opening the inhaler while he moved backwards and I held out my hand (the one that wasn't leaned against the top kitchen locker), took the inhaler from his hands and more or less shoved it into my mouth. (I might or might not have been trembling at this point)

"Thanks." Still breathing heavily, but at least not coughing more I leaned back heavily against the locker and put the inhaler back into my mouth. "I guess I was wrong when I said I wasn't ill then."

Well. That was an obvious matter of fact!

"Come and lay down in the living room instead." Sandy told me while I turned back to the bed. "That way we're close if this happens again." I looked up on him. But when I started coughing again and realized I'd forgotten the inhaler on the kitchen bench I realized Sandy might mean the best.

"I only need to put up a few things and change clothes. I'll be there in a second."

This was both the best and the worst part with being ill like me was knowing what would happen next. Best because I could put everything up and then relax. Worst because I knew I needed to do it all at once. And I kind of dreaded the next few parts while I grabbed an empty bucket from the bathroom and put it next to my bed, it would be needed later and no chance I was doing that in the house or anywhere closer to the others than… well… whatever distance between the house and the pool house.

"Good morning Ryan." Kirsten greeted me when I came into the kitchen. "How are you feeling? Can I get you anything?" I shook my head carefully, I did not need a headache right now. "Are you sure? Not anything to eat or drink?"

"No thank you. And I could have been better. But I think I'm just… going to watch Seth playing video games or something." I was cut off by some coughing and had to take a break. "Thanks anyway." With a sigh I turned around and walked down towards the TV room. "Hey man. Sorry if I scared you there earlier in the pool house." I slumped down into the couch and laid down. "Is it me or is it cold in here."

"It's you and the fever." Sandy handed me a warm blanket and I quickly pulled it around me as tight as possible while, before I had the chance to push him away he reached out and put his palm against my forehead while I glared up on him. "Yep, Fever. You sir, are burning up. Make sure you drink a lot of water, I'll get a glass for you."

While Sandy was away I made myself comfortable on the sofa and watched Seth where he sat with the game controller in his hands on the floor.

Was getting fussed over normality for someone like him? Because everything of what I could remember of being ill when I was younger was preferring being alone. Since if my mum had as much as been there she had only spent her time commenting over how disgusting I was. And then more moaning as she'd probably catch it and get ill herself. Well either that or Trey would get it, and he would act like he was dying.

"At least now we'll get to see if you were right or not." Seth's comment as he paused the game interrupted my thoughts. "Well, what was it? Waking up with a cough and a temperature. Then a cold." As on a given signal I sneezed several times in a row. "God Bless. What was next? Migraine and throwing up?"

"Ugh." I moaned. "Don't remind me."

I guess I should only have waited for it. But a couple of hours later with only watching Seth playing games and once after the other reassuring Sandy and Kirsten I didn't need anything. When lights started flashing in front of my eyes I knew what was coming. And while getting up I suppressed a moan when a wave of nausea hit me and hoping not to catch the attention of the Cohen's, with heavy steps I made my way over to the pool house and collapsed on the bed.

The typical headache by a migraine was pounding on the side of my head. And with every pounding came a wave of nausea- worse and worse for each time.

It was a good thing I had put everything ready already this morning. Because only trying to roll over to pick up the bucket from the floor…

"Ow."

…I ended up on the floor.

I didn't have much time to worry about how my arm hurt after the fall. I barely had time to sit up and reach for the bucket before I started heaving and had to put my concentration on not falling over by the heaves wrenching my whole body.

"Oh." Suddenly the doors opened and Sandy was here again. "You obviously weren't kidding when you said you'd throw up everything you'd ever eaten." I glared up on him. But didn't have time to say anything before I had to lean over the bucket and start heaving again. "Whoa." I felt him patting my back. "It's alright, just try to relax."

 _Easy for you to say!_

 _God. Why won't it ever end?_

At last I could drew a deep breath while I pushed my fingers through my hair. My forehead and fringe was soaking with sweat and my body still shaky from the exhaustion. Then I leaned my head against the edge of the bucket and drew a trembling breath while I heard the sound of Sandy's steps coming closer.

"Here." He held me a glass of water. "Feeling better?" I shrugged, took a sip of the water, washed my mouth with it and spit it out into the bucket. "Drink."

"No. If I swallow anything at all now it will only come back up and cause about an hour of dry heaving. I'll be happy if I can skip that part."

I made a failed attempt to stand up and get to the bathroom. But only ended up leaning back against the bed and glared towards the bathroom door as if it would magically make me fly there. While I tried to gather the strength to get onto my feet.

"Are you finished?" I hesitated, then nodded. "Well, wash out your mouth again and I'll help you with that. I'll get a clean shirt for you."

"Next up." I moaned while I pulled the old, sweaty and stained T shirt off. "Sleeping for like twenty four hours." I reached for the new T shirt Sandy handed me. "Thanks."

It was all kind of blurry and almost spinning when I watched and listened to Sandy making his way around the pool house to make everything ready for me in a few seconds. Something that would probably have taken me at least an hour at this time. If I wouldn't have had the time to fall asleep halfway.

Well. Maybe a weekend of only being ill was still a normal one to most people. Yet maybe it wasn't all normal to me. When I had more or less collapsed back on my bed, unable to move a millimeter or even open my eyes or I would probably start heaving again. I could almost hear the way Sandy was taking extra careful steps to let me sleep, the sound of plastic hitting wood when he put the bucket next to the bed and then… just as I thought he would leave. More moving before I felt him spread the covers back over me.

A few memories flashed by in my mind while I was slipping off into a dreamless kind of sleep. When I was about four and fell asleep drenched in sweat and as good as in a pool of my own vomit. Trey making disgusted noises and mum shouting at me for making such a mess. And then memory of the pounding in my head and how disgusting and embarrassed I felt. Even at just four years old when somebody should have been there to tell me to clean me and it all up and that it wasn't my fault.

I wasn't so sure if I could remember it afterwards. But the last before I finally slipped away. Was the feeling of tears burning behind my eyes and a slight lump in my throat and wonders what I had done to deserve all of this. Both the mess when I was younger, and being taken care of today.

And with that, I did exactly what I had told Seth I would. And fell asleep.

"You obviously weren't kidding when you said you'd be sleeping for twenty four hours." I rolled my eyes at Sandy's comment when I came into the house the next day, God knows how many hours later. Why would I have been kidding about this. "Do you want something to eat?" I shook my head. "Still nauseas?"

"No." I slumped down into one of the kitchen chairs. "Just not hungry. It is noon. The headache is gone and I can cough without ending up in a near-death-experience. I'll be awake for about five or six hours more. Then I'll sleep for another twelve hours, at least. And after that I'll be able to breathe through my nose again. Then I'm going to eat. What? I told you I know what will happen."

I did know what was going to happen. I also knew that the last few hours before I fell asleep on Sunday night I would be super bored. Not ill anymore so I wasn't applied for more asthma attacks or throwing up. But still without the usual energy there wasn't much else for me to do then lie on the couch and watch a movie. But still too restless to even enjoy that.

"Great." At about eight I finished writing a text for Marissa (no school tomorrow, sick) before I forced myself to sit on the couch. "Time for bed. " Sandy only smirked at me, he was kind of getting the point by now. And just as I left Seth sneezed. "God bless. Goodnight."

"Night."

"Nighty."

"Goodnight."

I couldn't help but smile tiredly while I walked back towards the pool house for what felt like in a million years. How I had grown to love this family!

The last thought crossing my mind before I collapsed on my bed and fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow was some kind of fever-ish hope and thought that it actually seemed like I could get to stay with them and be a part of their family for like ever.

"Well there you are." Kirsten greeted me when I came into the kitchen the next morning. "How are you today? Feeling better? Are you hungry? You haven't eaten for like three days. There are some left-overs from dinner yesterday that you can heat up in the microwave if you want." I pulled my hoodie tighter around me, moaned and stretched in well- being. "I'd say I can make you something but… well, you know."

For the first time in days I could appreciate the bad joke and at least smiled to Kirsten when she commented on her cooking 'skills'

"Don't worry. I can manage. But I think I'll start with something lighter. Like a bagel or some cereal."

I reached for the pack of cereal kind of noticing how slow and stiff all my moves still were. Then was reminded of the bug again when I heard someone else cough from another part of the house.

"Oh damn. Did I pass the bug onto Seth too?" Kirsten nodded at me. "Has he asked for you-know-what yet?"

"Mum?" Kirsten threw me a glance when he shouted just as I finished my question. "Mu-um."

"Do you want to bet? Yes honey."

"You know that ice cream from Ice e u?"

 **This isn't exactly my best work. But I hope you find it alright. Thank you for reading.**

 **Oh. It might be that I should have told you in the top A/N, but English isn't my first language. If there are mistakes in spelling, grammar etc. I'd like to know about them, so I can do it better next time.**

 **Random fact**

I am about halfway through series three with catching up on the O. C. I have another few ideas for (so far only) one-shots I'd like to write. But as I still haven't watched the whole series and wanted to get an 'easy' start I decided to go with this sick! Fic Idea. I've written a few before (for different characters in glee, modern family, Harry Potter and Tracy Beaker returns) but it's been a while so I decided to go with this idea. I hope you liked it.


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